Mechanical Exploration/Rescue droid series
The Mechanical Exploration/Rescue series of droids was created to work well in packs. While the original MER-P was actually designed with combat situations in mind, the series quickly moved away from that starting point toward more commercial functions (though they do retain elements of their more militant history). MER-P (Mechanical Exploration/Rescue unit - Prototype) Codenamed Project Sigurd during its development, the MER-P was designed for hit & run attacks, ambushes, & harassment. The MER-P droids were designed with a quadrupedal, multijointed locomotion system that makes them appear to most as small, crude looking copies of a skinny nexu. Because the MER-P wasn't expected to face intense defense, armour & shielding were omitted from the design in order to reduce production cost. This unfortunately means that a single hit from most weapons will render the MER-P inoperative. Much of the MER-P's mass is taken up by a single, surprisingly powerful blaster rifle. Due to the fact that the MER-P was more or less built around the rifle, it is only able to fire in the direction that it is facing. The MER-P droids are programmed to make use of any available cover, as well as coordinating fire with other nearby MER-P droids. The MER-P droids communicate with others nearby using bursts of short range comm transmissions. Unfortunately this may betray their presence before they have time to spring their attack if the target is using their commlinks (the signals manifest as static) or are using sensors scanning for comm transmissions. MER-1 (Mechanical Exploration/Rescue unit - Type 1) Initially designed to survey an area or to assist with search & rescue operations, the MER-1 was made to operate with minimal oversight. The MER-1 droids have a hexapedal locomotion system that has been described as very similar to that of an insect. the MER-1 droids were designed to work in large groups, coordinating using a basic hive-mind like structure established by ultra-sonic clicks (some field testers & operators have complained about a "A very high pitched buzzing" that was regarded as "Very annoying" during operation). This however can limit the effectiveness of the droids in areas with large amount of sonic interference or low atmospheric pressure. Like the MER-P that it was based on, the MER-1 lacks any form of actual armour, though in this case it was due to the droid not being designed to serve in combat situations. The MER-1 was designed to use one of two specialized tools. The first tool is a high powered sensor system that can be calibrated for a wide range of specific tasks. The main function of the sensor system being to locate any untapped resources, hazards, or (in the case of search & rescue operations) survivors. The second tool is a sonic discharge system. The sonic discharge system is designed to break down rocks without destabilizing the surround area. Due to this, the power begins falling exponentially after a range of only five meters. The reason for using a sonic system instead of the much more common blaster or plasma systems was to prevent the possibility of an accidental explosive reaction. The tool systems are designed to be able to be quickly & easily switched out. Later testing has shown that with minor programming modifications, the MER-1 droids excel at pest control operations in mines, space-craft, stations, & other tight locations that workers can't reach without difficulty. Some researchers have also raised the possibility of using the MER-1 droids as an extra layer for mine defense. During search and rescue or pest control operations, the MER-1s tend to work in groups of 10 to 15, with only one or two outfitted with sensors. During exploratory operations, the MER-1 droids tend to work in groups or four or five, with only one outfitted with the sonic discharge system. MER-2 (Mechanical Exploration/Rescue unit - Type 2) Vastly divergent from both of its predecessors, the MER-2 was designed for the heavier duty tasks involved with exploration & rescue. The basic form of the MER-2 is that of a pair of treads mounted on the lower frame, with a freely rotating 'torso' attached to the top of the lower frame. The shoulder joints are ports that can support any two of a wide range of useful tools at a time. The 'head' is a cluster of video & audio sensors granting the MER-2 360 degree vision. Another difference from the other MER designs is the fact that the MER-2 was built with armour, 5cm of durasteel to be exact. The MER-2 also has an internal comm system in order to relay reports in real time to the command center. Finally, the MER-2 has a cache of small repair drones in case minor damage threatens to reduces its capabilities. In short, the MER-2 was designed to be able to enter & remain in extremely hazardous conditions for extended periods. Tools that can be mounted on the shoulder joints include gurneys, manipulator arms, extensive sensor pods, sample collectors, or a wide range of additional tools. An unexpected, but completely unsurprising wide effect of its design is that the MER-2 functions extremely well in combat situations. To capitalize on this ability, a few additional equipment systems were made for the shoulder mounts, including a heavy repeating blaster, a flamethrower, a mini-missile launcher (100 mini-missiles), & a sonic blaster. MER-2 droids with the weapon kits included are sold as MER-2/w droids. Category:Droids